Of Odwaid
by Hamfast Gamgee
Summary: A tale about an Easterling and possibly why they turned to evil.
1. Chapter 1

Of Odwaid

A short tale about one of the Easterlings in Beleriand at the time of Hurin/Turin. A question of how someone might have behaved at a time when there were few people around to advise him on the correct way of behaving. No Elves, Gods or Eru at least! Thanks to Iggy for Betering, please R*R thanks, Ham.

Quote from Eru: 'And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.' Really? Well, there might be those in the later days of Beleriand that would seriously question this supremely confident statement from Eru. Read on!

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It was a grey evening in early spring on the marshy grasslands of Hithlum. A village was close by and smoke rose into the sky, made golden by the setting sun. Two boys were playing in a stream. 'Come in, Ellord, the water's lovely!' cried one and jumped in, laughing and splashing.

Ellord, Odwaid's younger brother, sat by the stream. 'Look at the light, it is getting late we should be back home soon. Remember what mum said!'

'Oh, she only wants us to help move that table, I'd rather play!' Odwaid declared.

Later when they both went home to their mother they were scolded for being late. 'It was Ellord. I told him to come home early but he insisted on staying!' said Odwaid with a sneaky smile.

'Not true!' yelled Ellord.

Well you would say that, wouldn't you?' Odwaid sneered.

'Odwaid is my natural son, Ellord. You are adopted so you're some kind of oink, therefore he is telling the truth,' concluded his mother with dubious logic. Odwaid then had sugar with his tea while his younger brother had to clean the mud near their village hut.

So it was that with incidents like these, Odwaid learned the value of craftiness and of using his position for his own benefit. In years to come this young boy would grow into a man whose name would become a byword for evil, foul deeds, and horror, even through the later days. Whether he deserved this fate or whether he even cared about his legacy is a matter for the ages to decide.

A few years later, Odwaid had grown into a young man. He saw his father come to his village with many armed men. They were going to battle. War was gathering between the Union of Maedhros and the lord of Angband, Morgoth. Odwaid was told many things about how glorious, brave and noble this war was, and how he could be a heroic soldier. But Odwaid had also heard alternative accounts of how war involved pain, death and destruction. Seeing as how even training had hurt him he secretly agreed with the latter! So Odwaid was careful to make sure he wasn't in the first wave of attacks. One thing he was told of by one of the King's councillors, Whitesnake,'Obey only personal commands from your father and our councillors, no others are worthy of your trust.'

Odwaid wondered, but he had heard strange rumours. Initially he had heard that his folk were against the evil, Dark Lord of Angband and in favour of confederates of the alliance of Elves and Men. The going became tough, however, against all the mighty forces of Morgoth. But Odwaid was thinking they might just win through in spite of the blood and fallen bodies on the field.

Then the order to charge was called and Odwaid's people attacked… the Elves. Odwaid had no time to wonder in all of the hurly-burly of the battle but it was clear that his father had changed sides. Odwaid thought this was strange, but one thing was clear to him, he had to stick with his people. At least this worked out well for them. The Easterlings charged at the Noldor and cut through them, sword upon sword, armour clashing with armour, sinew straining against sinew.

It was too much for the Noldor who fought with desperate vigor. Odwaid watched in horror as Maglor slew his father. He saw his father's arms spread wide as he pleaded for mercy, but it was denied and his father's head flew high as it was severed from his shoulders.

Odwaid's mind was in turmoil. He grieved for his father but as a calculating person he also realized that, especially with the death of his uncle, he was now King! He gained vengeance as his folk slew many Elves, who fled before them. Then his forces took on the remaining Men.

Odwaid saw them refuse to surrender and fight to the last, against insurmountable odds. Odwaid was initially impressed as the few crouched down, gathered themselves, and drew together. But they didn't last. Only one survived. But orders came to take him, Hurin, alive, despite Hurin having slain many.

Every time Hurin slew he cried, 'Day will come again!' Odd thing to cry, thought Odwaid. He knew he would see day again in his kingdom. But in the murky, gloom, Odwaid and his men finally captured Hurin. As he helped wrestle Hurin's axe away from him, Hurin gave Odwaid a personally poisonous look and said, 'We will get you!'

'Well, why pick on me, lots of others are involved,' thought Odwaid, but victory it was.

Later, Odwaid was given much praise as one of the heroes, at least as far as his people were concerned. Though, Odwaid did think that changing sides, the way it had happened, was a bit confusing to say the least. He had a talk with the chief councillor, Whitesnake, about this over supper. He now needed Whitesnake's advice as his father was dead. Whitesnake put his arm around Odwaid's shoulder saying, 'Do not let such moral matters concern you too greatly, my lord. You are a victorious hero, think only on how you sided with Melkor the strong, a wise move for us. He is the main power in the world. We should side with him. You have seen what has happened to those that don't.'

Odwaid agreed, though he frowned as he finished his ale. Later he was to see the truth of this. Odwaid had to execute, on the orders of Angband, many who were too stubborn to adapt to the changing strategic landscape. 'You don't want to end up like them!' Whitesnake whispered to him as the rebels were hung. But more Men refused to surrender, despite Morgoth's increasing influence.

So Odwaid offered a parley. His opponents were suspicious, but on the appointed day Odwaid invited a few of their leaders to a meeting with him and a few of his captains so as to gain their trust. They met and negotiated into the night. Then Odwaid raised his hand and many Orcs that were hiding underground emerged and massacred the men. Odwaid was now in command.

Over to the East were Dwarves in a mighty city called Nogrod. But they were proud and independent of everyone, good or evil. This wasn't good enough for Morgoth, who was jealous of their independence. He decided to use Odwaid as his tool to attack the Dwarves at a certain time.

But Odwaid had his own problems trying to deal with a small but stubborn band of outlaws in his territory. Just when he thought he had achieved control there was, to his horror, an assassination attempt upon him. It had nearly succeeded and it was only hesitation on the part of the would-be assassin that had saved him.

Odwaid was enraged and attacked Nogrod, but strangely, on this one occasion, his rage overcame his good sense. He attacked, and his forces were victorious in battle and took prisoners and reduced the Dwarven influence. It was a long journey, however, and he was pleased when his force returned to their homelands.

Though Whitesnake wasn't impressed. 'If only you had waited a little while my lord. You could have gotten an overwhelming victory over these people, conquered them entirely rather than just a minor victory. You let rage overcome your good sense!'

Odwaid drained a glass. 'You are hard to please! Melkor himself sent a message congratulating me!'

'A rather grudging one. And mention it softly but even our overlord is not always the wisest of people when it comes to strategic matters. It is possible that even he is not aware of the chance we had. But I and some of us are. Yes, I can be hard to please at times, that is my job,' Whitesnake replied. Reluctant as Odwaid was to admit it, Whitesnake was often correct in matters such as this.

End of Chapter One


	2. Chapter 2

Of Odwaid, part two.

One word of warning, there is some minor nasty stuff in here, so maybe those that are very sensitive might not wish to read this. I've upped the rating to be sure. Mind you I'm sure that more people die in nastier ways in the Silmarillion proper! But lets be on the safe side.

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Despite Odwaid's successes in battle and the wealth and power he enjoyed, he was restless and often unhappy. He would look around the hall at his councillors celebrating some minor victory and wonder what he was doing, killing other Men at the behest of Morgoth. Reports came in daily of people being killed in the wilderness, of innocent folk living in fear of his master's might, and his own fear of death, of being hunted like those in Beleriand, sickened him.

Whitesnake noticed his melancholy and brought him another ale. 'Why do you look sad when so much is going your way?' Whitesnake asked him, his arm around Odwaid's broad shoulder.

'What are we doing, Whitesnake? We kill our own kind, and for what? What ends are we working for?'

'Is not wealth and power their own rewards? Why should we care for the troubles of others when we are doing so well? Our allegiance to Morgoth has done well by us thus far, don't you agree?'

'I suppose,' Odwaid said uncertainly.

'You have no right to think otherwise,' Whitesnake joked, though his eyes were hard. 'Now show some cheer before the council begins to wonder where your true loyalties lie. Come, this life has its rewards. Look at that pretty brunette over there. She would make a lovely addition to your harem, would she not?'

Odwaid smiled. 'My dear, come with me. There is a bed prepared for you in my chambers!'

Odwaid was in his forty-third year while the girl, Eruin, was half his age. She shook her long, brown hair. 'No, thank you!' she said smartly.

'And why not?' said Odwaid in mock surprise.

'I've heard it's not very nice there!'

Eruin was wearing a dress of yellow and white. Odwaid smiled and stood behind her and touched her shoulders. 'That's a shame my dear, a great shame! I thought we were all friends here. If you do insist on being so unfriendly I might have to take some action against you!'

'You would take me against my will?' gasped Eruin.

'Nothing so vulgar, my sweet Eruin, but if you will not be my friend, obviously I can't trust you. I can't stand being around people I can't trust, not at all! I will be forced to turn you out. Immediately. Into the night. Though it is far to your father's hut, is it not?'

The girl looked at him in horror. 'There are dangerous creatures out there in the dark, I won't survive!' This wasn't necessarily true. A capable and clever girl could survive out there. But Odwaid was playing on her fears. Eruin was pretty, but not necessarily the sharpest arrowhead in the quiver. These women weren't selected for brains, anyway.

'Is that my fault? If you won't be friends, what can I do?' Odwaid shrugged.

Eruin looked indecisive. She sighed. 'All right, then, I have no choice.'

Odwaid began to massage her shoulders. She entered Odwaid's bed-chamber and found three more nude women waiting there. As she slipped out of her dress she turned to him and said, 'You obviously have many young friends that you trust!' Odwaid smiled.

There were some compensations for this life, he thought.

Time moved on. Odwaid had heard of a warrior in Beleriand who held a hatred of Morgoth and his peoples and held off Morgoth's might almost on his own. Turin had also heard of Odwaid and his cruelty. Odwaid was a major target of this man. This made Odwaid a little nervous of the rumour which had come to his halls of Turin and his black sword.

It was at this time that Odwaid began to receive reports that a band of desperate Elves and Edain were hiding out in a camp on the borders of his country. They were a thorn in Odwaid's side and he sent a force to deal with them.

But this force was bested and Whitesnake was captured and the people even had the brazenness to question him vigorously and mildly torture him. Odwaid was enraged at this treatment of his oldest councillor. So he sent a greater force and overwhelmed these outlaws. But there was the question of what to do with them as they were now in his power. It was then that he made the fateful decision to show his power and cruelty to the prisoners.

He put them all in a large pit and, despite pleas, had a large group of Orcs, Trolls and wolves viciously tear them all apart, chop them into pieces, and in many cases eat them alive. The victims only numbered around one hundred but the loss for them significant. The worst part was that Odwaid found he sadistically rather enjoyed the spectacle, and not just for the satisfaction of revenge either. This was not a fact that went unnoticed.

'Was that too harsh?' he asked Whitesnake later.

'You might have gone a bit far!' Whitesnake laughed and put his arm around his lord's shoulders.

Months later, Odwaid was having a feast with his chief councillors. He retreated with Whitesnake and his younger brother, Ellord. In a sturdy, dry, wooden room with black beams, white decorations and a few paintings, Odwaid heard his brother's counsel.

'Odwaid, you must know by now that you are known throughout the world as a byword for evil, terror, cruelty and despair. Do you not think that you could use your power for the benefit of our people rather than make war and indulge your wicked appetites as you do?'

Odwaid tolerated his younger brother's words and the odd, interesting philosophy behind them. 'Benefit? Wickedness? How was one to weigh the one against the other? 'There is only power in this world I have discovered. Power and those that use it. And the main power here is that of Melkor. I have seen what has happened to those that oppose him, however heroically, and I don't fancy that type of life or grinning death. What am I supposed to do?'

'Some say that there is a creator, and that he is as opposed to Morgoth as anyone.'

Whitesnake yawned and stretched out his arms. 'Where is he then? I can't say I've seen much sign of his activity in recent years. If there is any power in the world at the moment, I would agree with your brother and say that it is the Lord Melkor!'

Ellrod countered, 'But there is a legend that Eru confronted Morgoth at the beginning of all time, that the Supreme Lord would know that the Dark Lord would rebel. And he said, "Thou Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined." Now, should we be allied to such a being?'

Odwaid considered this. 'But realistically, what can we do? Our choices are not that many. I could lead a heroic last stand against Melkor in which we will all die and I don't fancy that much,'

'Not with me, you don't,' said Whitesnake.

'Naturally not. But save from getting us all killed it would do nothing,'

'We might achieve something,'

'Almost certainly not, Ellord. Or maybe a few of us would survive, living a wretched hunted life as outlaws in the wild. I don't fancy that type of life either. So if I have to live a reasonable life I might as well indulge myself, as I can't change anything. Things aren't going to change in my lifetime. Besides, I have heard counter tales than those you have. I have heard that your Gods disapprove of this Elves' War. That it was fought purely for some Elves to regain some jewels. And they in their turn will slay any who get in their way. You've gone quiet, Ellord! So in between your Angels that don't approve, your Eru that we never see, and your vicious Elves and Melkor, what are we poor mortals supposed to do?'

'Not be quite so vicious perhaps?'

'Now, now he is our lord. Odwaid can be as vicious as he wants to be! And those he killed were mostly sentenced to die anyway,' Whitesnake cut in.

'Mostly,' thought Odwaid feeling a pang of conscience over some of his evil deeds. Odwaid did often have thoughts like these throughout his life. He was vicious yes, but he was the product of a vicious system. In a perfect world there might have been hope for his soul. But his world was far from perfect. Is it a surprise that those that rose to the top at this time were the most vicious? Especially when to do evil he had no restraint, he even had pressure to act as he did, but he had little power to do real good.

Though it has to be said that as he grew older and more and more strong, thoughts like these became fewer and fewer. Yet now Whitesnake laughed and answered, 'Besides, your logic could easily mean that we can do what we like anyway and your Eru approves.' There was no more response from Ellord and the three slowly fell asleep as the clouds moved across the dark sky above.

As he grew older, Odwaid was at least kind and generous to his family, and his son in particular. Odwaid tolerated some of his son's more wild activities and forgave them, despite the fact these activities included cold-blooded murder.

Many were the dangers of the world at this time. As a major chieftain, Odwaid was a target. He knew this and so he took many precautions. But news came to him that a single warrior with a black sword was on his way. 'I'm not sure that one man can cause us much damage,' Odwaid said, secure in his power, or so he thought.

Odwaid heard of a party of captured Elves from Nagrothond that had been slaughtered by Orcs on the borders of his country, before the Orcs themselves were destroyed. He had been ordered to receive the captives but obviously there was little point now.

That night, as Odwaid was staying in the halls of one Brodda, there was a crash on the door and it flew open with the wind blowing in. A man entered in armour and carrying a mighty sword. His face was hidden by a metal helmet and he looked angry. Whitesnake snapped at the guards to apprehend the man.

But Turin proved more than a match for whatever Odwaid could throw at him. With his sword and seemingly impenetrable armour there was nothing Odwaid possessed that could harm the Edain. All of Odwaid's men fell before him, including Ellord. There was also a riot caused by the enslaved Edain in the hall. Turin grabbed Odwaid by the throat and asked many angry questions. Turin wasn't happy at Odwaid's treatment of his people and other matters. Odwaid tried to answer, but Turin was further enraged and mortally wounded Odwaid, along with many of the surviving Easterlings, and departed.

Odwaid lay on the floor, deserted, in pain, the last of his life-blood seeping from him. Before he breathed his last, he saw a ghost. Someone he recognized – Huor, was it? - from that battle long ago. The shade pointed a finger at him and said, 'So, we kill you finally!'

'Yes. But I have been alive for long while, longer than most of you!'

'You will be remembered as a man of evil throughout the ages,' said the ghost.

'So? Why do I care? I would give any respect for a glass of water now,' choked Odwaid.

'If you don't care, why are you seeing me?'

'Fair enough. But what could I do? I might have been lucky, vicious, going a bit too far in one or two instances, but I had to survive. And maybe even live a little. None of your people, Edain, the Eldar, any of your Powers would lift a finger to help the likes of us. Your Turin that defeated me will go to a bad end I foretell. But...'

With that Odwaid died, and his deeds were written into the histories, his name reviled throughout the ages for the evil he had done, deeds perhaps no worse than those of his contemporaries. But despite his death, matters for the world simply got worse.


End file.
